Milwaukee, WI July 2, 2007 -- Celebrating 25 years in Milwaukee, Shepherd Express will launch new community discussion sites later this year under the direction of citizen media veteran, Andy Vogel. Shepherd-Express.com's local websites will operate to keep communities informed about local events and issues in their neighborhoods using tools such as blogs, wikis, photo galleries and events calendars.

"As we enter the 2008 political season, greater access to online tools for more informed and reasoned debate on the topics of the day are needed," said Louis Fortis, publisher and editor-in-chief of Shepherd Express. "I'm pleased to be able to add Andy's passion for Milwaukee and online community building to ours. Milwaukeeans want to be able to express opinions that matter to them within their community, and this will add another option for our advertisers seeking to reach one of the most politically aware reader groups in Wisconsin," Fortis added.

Vogel, formerly director of digital strategy for the Journal Sentinel and general manager of Backfence.com, adds unique experience from dot com start-ups like cars.com and traditional media companies like Gannett and Detroit Newspapers. He has held several senior level advertising, business development, technology marketing and sales positions in the software, internet, automotive retailing and newspaper industries.

For years, Vogel has been blogging on the state of interactive media and marketing in Milwaukee and was the founder of the Milwaukee Interactive Marketing Association. Vogel has won numerous advertising awards, including the NAA's New Media Edge Award for best advertising campaign, and is a frequent judge for interactive advertising awards.

About Shepherd Express:
Shepherd Express was founded in 1982 and is the only alternative newsweekly in the Milwaukee area. Using investigative reporting, satire and an emphasis on high-quality writing, Shepherd Express went from a monthly to a weekly beginning in 1988. The paper prints 72,000 issues a week, reaching 244,500 readers, almost 20 percent of the metro market. Shepherd-express.com reaches an additional 90,000 unique visitors each month.

The Shepherd Express offers in-depth analysis and coverage of trends and developments in the urban environment through investigative reporting, commentary and feature stories. The approach is to put a different perspective on the issues that challenge a Midwest urban area in the 21st century -- education, race relations, transportation, economics, environment and health.

Shepherd Express' news scope doesn't stop at the city line, as the paper has won awards for environmental reporting on issues that concern the entire state. It has been recognized many times over the years as "Best Music Newspaper" by the Wisconsin Area Music Awards.

In the field of entertainment, Shepherd Express is Milwaukee's guide to local music, arts, movies, dining and high culture. It also has the most complete calendar of events listings in town. Shepherd Express publishes the official gate guide to America's largest music festival, Summerfest. Shepherd Express is also the founder of the Milwaukee International Film Festival, and publisher of the annual Inside Milwaukee City Guide, a comprehensive guide to food, festivals, music, shopping, and life in metropolitan Milwaukee.

The Shepherd Express remains one of America's few locally owned alternative newsweeklies. It has been published since 1997 by Louis Fortis, a Ph.D. economist, international consultant, and former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Contact:
Louis Fortis
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
(414) 276-2222 ext. 202

Andy Vogel
Vice President
Advertising and Online Products
(414) 276-2222 ext. 207